Belstaff was the first company to use wax cotton, the only fabric that is both waterproof and breathable. The very fine Egyptian cotton is treated with natural oils, making it water-repellent while keeping the cotton permeable to air

02

The Cut

The Roadmaster has the most tailored silhouette of all Belstaff's jackets featuring a close fit with square shoulders. The garment keeps the wearer warm and dry without giving an overbearing shape or weight

03

THe Heritage

The Belstaff logo is an abstraction of a phoenix, which proverbially always rises after hardship. The bird represents Belstaff products' durability and resistance and is an apt metaphor for the resurrected brand

04

The Durability

Jackets are reinforced with linings and feature strong hardware protecting wearers from the elements and allowing them to comfortably pursue active lifestyles. In the 1940s, motorcycle racing champion Mr Sammy Miller won 1,250 races wearing a Belstaff jacket

Legend has it that Mr Steve McQueen cancelled a date with his beautiful girlfriend Ms Ali MacGraw to stay at home and wax his Belstaff jacket. That's serious brand loyalty.

The brand outfitted Mr McQueen in The Great Escape (1963) and he could not resist the label's sartorial expertise and allure in his off-set wardrobe, too. Belstaff's carefully crafted biker jackets have continued to feature in cinematic classics such as Ocean's Twelve (2004), Batman Begins (2005) and Mr Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004), guaranteeing stars such as Mr Brad Pitt, Mr Christian Bale and Mr Leonardo DiCaprio an instant rugged allure on screen and on the street.

The label began far from Hollywood in 1924 when Mr Harry Grosberg co-founded a small factory in Staffordshire in the English Midlands. He had the straightforward aim of producing waterproof outerwear and made Belstaff the first brand to actively research technology that would make its products windproof, rainproof and resistant to heavy friction. These qualities made the brand a perfect clothier for aviators and motorcyclists and by 1943, Belstaff was producing more than 40,000 of the famous Black Prince Motorcycle Jackets a year.

the brand throughout history

Motorcycle champion Mr Sammy Miller raced to victory a record 1,250 times in a Belstaff jacket

Actor Mr Robert Pattinson was dressed in a vintage 1920s Belstaff blouson for his 2011 film Water For Elephants

Although it has always retained the traditional crafts employed in its jackets' construction, Belstaff fell off the radar in the 1990s. However, the brand was given a new lease of life by Italian motorcyclist Mr Franco Malenotti in 1996, when he created new designs and high-tech fabrics. In June 2011, Swiss group Labelux bought the Belstaff brand for a reported $161m and appointed Mr Martin Cooper, former design director at Burberry, as the brand's new chief creative officer, ensuring the brand has another thrilling chapter to add to its iconic history.